The Blurring Lines Between Amateur and Professional Photographers

Photography is an expensive hobby. With all the lenses, filters, lighting, software, and tripods, a fellow can find himself in the hole rather quickly. I should know. Photography was one of my last obsessions before getting my finances in order. I spent several thousand dollars on equipment. In retrospect, that was excessive.

But if you’re willing to work hard and to sell yourself, it’s possible to turn a photography hobby into something that, at the very least, breaks even. Before I was sidetracked by this blog, I was an enthusiastic amateur hoping to do just that.

I was a l-o-n-g way from supporting my photography habit with my work, but did have a couple small successes. My photography won prizes at the county fair, for example. I sold two prints. Just this month I had a photo published in Audubon magazine (for which they paid me $600):

If you’re interested in making money from photography without spending a fortune, check out Strobist, a blog with the tagline, “Less gear, more brain, better light”. The welcome page says: “Think of Strobist as a lighting idea bank, run by and for the most enthusiastic DSLR photographers.” The blog features articles like:

Remember that compact fluorescent photo I used earlier in the week? That image was made by David Hobby, the author of Strobist. He describes how he created the shot in a series of posts about developing an idea. Though this is an advanced subject, it’s fascinating to see the thought that goes into a final image.

Most content at Strobist falls into one of two categories: Lighting 101, which explains photography and light, and On Assignment, which encourages readers to practice what you’ve learned. Last Thursday, Strobist published the first in a four-part series about “the blurring lines between professional and amateur photographers, and how your presence on Flickr automatically puts you in the game.”

Hobby wrote about Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir, an Icelandic art student who had gained a following for the ethereal images she posted to Flickr. When her work came to the attention of the marketing department at Toyota, she was asked to shoot some photos incorporating the Prius. She did. The marketers loved the shots, and soon they were being used in all sorts of promotional material.

While Rebekka’s experience is certainly the most famous Cinderella Story of the Flickr world to date, it is by no means unique. The explosion of digital photography — and legions of talented new photographers — is combining with the leveled playing field of ubiquitous access to photographs via sites like Flickr. Professional photo buyers are combing through thousands of photos in search of new photographers like you.

I, for one, look forward to the next three parts in this series. I’ll continue to read Strobist for project ideas, and for tips on how to keep my photography expenses to a minimum!

Edit: In the comments, Chris O’Donnell points to a NYT piece about MWACs (or Moms with a Camera) (registration required): “As digital single-lens-reflex cameras have become more affordable, more people — overwhelmingly women, according to the Professional Photographers of America — are starting photography businesses. They often begin as part-time ventures, sometimes on top of full-time employment elsewhere.” This is exactly what I’m talking about when I discuss hobbies as money-making ventures.

I think that many people get hung up in the equipment that they forget to take good photos. Before we turned our financial situation around I was obsessed with getting more camera stuff. Her already had a Nikon film SLR, and I added a lomo, holga, a few TLR’s and a film scanner. I realized that I wasn’t making pictures but collecting camera equipment.

I’ll tell you what is my greatest expense – film and film processing chemicals. I still enjoy developing b&w film in my kitchen. And there’s no feeling like seeing a print materialize in a developing tray.

I read strobist on a daily basis, great blog. Congrats on the sales as well!

As for the title of this article, I don’t think they are really blurring. On my forum we’ve had this debate forever, what makes a pro, a pro. By defination, someone getting paid for a service is a pro, it doesn’t make them good at it though. The lines between professional photographers and highly skilled shooters is getting blurry though.

I have spent well over 8 thousand dollars, and still do not have efficient equipment. I need 25 minimum to get the best tools. And the funniest part… I do this as a hobby! I don’t charge models nor do I pay them. I have model’s calling me all the time. I have been able to get away with what I have, but I feel thats where innovation in photography develops. When you don’t have money you have to create your own solution. For example sports photography, I shoot with a D70 while others use a D2Xs. How could I compete? Well I know the sport well, and I have the timing down. While for them, they also have to frame the shot, but they can hold down that button, and expect every single frame to come out perfect, while for me, i have one shot to make it! The question is, can an amazing photographer use horrible equipment!

The best of the best isn’t $25k, its what is needed to get the job done. If I had a $30k Hassy H3 or whatever the newest is – I wouldn’t be any better then I am now. I often shoot with a $20 holga or a $50 lomo, luv the results from it. Don’t feel like you need to spend the money to get the bestest.

Photography is one of the only hobbies I know where people can recoup the investment with ease. Example, I shoot pistols for fun (and self protection). It currently costs me about $14 for an hour of range time and $20 per 100 count box of .40 target ammo. In an hour I can blow through 3-400 rounds w/out breaking a sweat. I’ll never get that money back.

Same can be said about golf, tennis or just about any other hobby. The ability to shoot digitaly and the demand for photographs for advertising has made the surge in both stock and commisioned photography explode. Add ontop of that, more and more people are enlarging their work and framing it for gifts to friends and family or to simply hang on their walls.

Sorry for being blunt bu that photographer chick already have a great life. She has time, equipment, wonderful environment and models to shoot photos. Heck, she’s beautiful herself and she uses herself as model. Truly a rare Cinderella story which is useless for people who looking for guidance. It motivates people to read success stories like that but its a temporary motivation and not an actual guidance. I mean she got lucky, so? I never heard anyone else got “famous and rich” trough Flickr.

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